Bronze SupporterBronze Supporter

1. Is a 10" barrel (for an AR 15) legally transferable to someone in California (from someone in Oregon), without going through an FFL? (Hint: I am pretty sure I know the answer)

2. Is a 10" barrel allowed on an AR 15 PISTOL in California?

3. And most relevant to this scenario... Why would a resident of California ask a resident of Oregon to accept shipping of a 10" barrel for an AR 15, and say that it "cannot be sent to California because it is illegal there?"

Any one know #1 & #2, or have a guess for #3?

(On #1, I do not think it matters if the Californian can legally own a firearm, since a barrel isn't a firearm.)

I would love to get as many opinions as I could... Thanks firearms enthusiasts!!!

Well-Known Member

The gray area of the law is that the barrel is a sub component of an "assault weapon". It has a threaded muzzle and generally speaking threaded barrels are not allowed in California, Unless they are on a single shot or a bolt action firearm, which an AR is not. SBRs and suppressors are not CA legal. AR pistols could be legal in CA if they are "featureless" and single shot. That means no pistol grip, muzzle device, forend shroud... they are not legal in any sense that you know them. If you are dealing with someone already in or wanting to be in possession of CA contraband, you do not want to get sucked into the mire of legal problems they are party to if caught. Move on.

CurmudgeonSilver Supporter2015 Volunteer

Run, don't walk, far, far away from this deal. It sounds like someone is incredibly dumb or is participating in a sting operation. Either way you are opening yourself up to criminal liability if you are playing any part in obtaining illegal parts for someone in CA. No! Just no!

Parts is parts: a barrel is a part. What the buyer in CA does, is up to him. He could make a single shot or he could make an AW pistol and register it with CA DOJ before 2018.

Brutus Out

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If a 10" threaded barrel can't be legally imported to CA, which is what this OR resident is being asked to assist with, it sounds an awful lot like he would somehow be an accessory to a crime if he did. Perhaps even agreeing to the transaction and then receiving the item could be viewed as conspiracy to commit a crime. I'd still stay FAR away from this scenario.

Well-Known Member

Possession and intent issues. Run, don't walk. Up here in Oregon where such fun and giggles is very legal with all the paperwork, some folks have short barrels. They also own AR15 rifles. Short barrel rifle tax stamps. No problems.

Otherwise the short barrels reside in the big gun safe at our local friendly knowledgeable Class 3 machine gun dealer. Why? Potential BATFE possession and control issues. Be safe. Obey all the laws. It is much easier that way. Respectfully.

Jerk, Ammo ManufacturerSilver Supporter

Here's the question... is it just a barrel? if so, it's fine, a barrel isn't a gun, it's just a gun part. I might be a bit reticent to send a complete upper, but a 10" barrel is legal for any number of reasons, lets say they're going to permanently affix a 6" tube and make a CAR-15 clone. Was the price significantly better than anywhere else?

Well-Known Member

Also illegal by many means. Depends upon what the short barrel owner also possesses and controls. Even in Oregon if a legal owner of an AR15 rifle controls and possesses, (also known as owning) an AR15 short barrel even though the barrel is not installed on the AR15 rifle, without a BATFE short barrel tax stamp he MAY be in violation of BATFE rules ... which have the force of law. May be.

But ... if a person has that 10" AR15 short barrel and does not own, posses, or control an AR15, then he is completely legal. Lots of gray area here. Define possession? Define control? Define intent? Lots of gray area. But .... practically speaking, one might be better off if he does NOT attract the attention of that 400 pound BATFE Gorilla. All of these forums are moderated by the Feds. Yikes!

Parts is parts: a barrel is a part. What the buyer in CA does, is up to him. He could make a single shot or he could make an AW pistol and register it with CA DOJ before 2018.

Brutus Out

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Or he/she could throw it in a trash can. I would not think (without diving into the laws) that the barrel by itself, without any firearm to attach it to, would or could be illegal in Calif., but then it is Calif. and they like to make things illegal there - so what do I know. I don't think it could possibly be illegal in Oregon or by federal law to sell or give a 10" barrel to a Calif. resident who takes possession of it in Oregon - even if you know they intend to take it to Calif.??

Well-Known Member

Legal in Oregon. May not be legal to receive and possess it in CA. I do not keep track of CA gun laws.

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That's obvious from your previous posts. Aero Precision M5 stripped lowers are legal in CA. The person in CA is the one liable to be aware and abide by the laws of CA. He can legally build a 10" AR barreled pistol in CA. The critical issue is what kind of action/features it has.

Well-Known Member

What happened to the law/bill where Calif. wanted to outlaw 80% lowers - even though they are not firearms?

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The following is for California residents ONLY: In July, 2016, Californiapassed AB 857 which requires all completed firearms to have a serial number applied by Jan 1, 2019. An 80% lower is not a firearm, so a serial number would only be required once the 80% lower is completed.

So right now, uncompleted, they are fancy paper weights or planters for most people, I guess.

Bronze SupporterBronze Supporter

Well-Known Member

If a 10" threaded barrel can't be legally imported to CA, which is what this OR resident is being asked to assist with, it sounds an awful lot like he would somehow be an accessory to a crime if he did. Perhaps even agreeing to the transaction and then receiving the item could be viewed as conspiracy to commit a crime. I'd still stay FAR away from this scenario.

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It could be a benign transaction. I've shopped on gunbroker.com and some sellers won't ship anything to CA, regardless of legality.
But Vaultman didn't clarify. Thankfully, I don't have that problem anymore - I just ship to the FFL in Shelton County

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